Artificial limb and harness therefor



Jan. 1,

R. R. HARRIS ARTIFICIAL LIMB AND HARNESS THEREFOR Filed may 19. 1923. s Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 1, 1924 R. R. HARRIS ARTIFICIAL LIMB AND HARNESS THEREFOR Filed May 19 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 1, 1924 1,479,297 R. R. HARRIS ARTIFICIAL LIMB AND HARNESS THEREFOR Filed y 19. 1925 I5 Sheets-Sheet J5. lili'arrid I WMrD+ Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

RICHARD R. HARRIS, or OCEAN BEACH, CALIFORNIA;

ARTIFICIAL LIME AND HARIvEss THEREFOR. H

Application filed-Mayfllt),

leg which is supported at the shoulder of the wearer and serves as a crutch, tending to take practically all of the weight off the stump of the wearer which is usually highly r sensitive. 7

It is well known that the wearers of wooden legs are loath to use the same and often prefer crutches on account of the senstive nature of the stump, and it is for their relief that the present invention is designed,

My invention will'be more. stood after referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevationwof'the apparatus as applied to a wearer, the wearerbeing indicated in dotted lines;

Figure '2 is a similar view to 'Figureil, except as seen: from the left of saidtfigure; Figure 3 isa'side elevation of the knee joint andiconnected parts, and on a larger scale than in Figures 1 and 2, the parts being shown in the standingposition," that is with the knee straight;

"Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 13, but shows the partsin the'position as when the knee'is bent,or as in walking;

Figure 4 shows a section along the line H of Figure 3; and looking in the direction of the arrows; v I

Figure 5 shows a section along the. line 5-5 of Figure' 3; and looking in the direction of the arrows; t

Figure 6 shows a section along the line 6-6 of Figure 8, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure? is a detailviewon 'a'still larger scale 'than -inithe preceding i'figures; "shows fully under- Y 1923. Seria1 No.-640,278.

the compression Spring for use inreturning the knee joints to the erecft positionyi Figure .8 shows a side elevatiomqon' a larger scale,- of the crutch support for the shoulder; 1 f

Figure 9' is a side-elevation=of'theparts shown in Figure 8;

F igure 10 is a sideelevationrofthe thigh joint, the parts being shown-with the thigh straight in full-lines, and with the thigh bent forwards in'do'tted lines; 7

' Figure 11 shows a section alongit-he line 11-1l of Figure 10; o

direction of the arrows; 5

Figure 12 is-a detail view showinjgthe ankle joint, with'the artificial footshowniin full lines in the 1 vertical position fund; in v dotted lines in the inclined position;

Figure 13 is a sectional view along the line 1313 of Figure-12, andlooking in the direction of the arrowsjand v V Figure-14 shows a section: along the line I l--14: of Figure 12, nand'looking in the direction of the arrows. t I w The complete apparatus comprises i a jointed crutch arrangementfextending from beneath. the crotchof theIa-rm' of the wearer down to and including anartificalfoOt, and V 'thevarious parts will be described'cbegim ning at -the top; V:

' A represents a orotch piec e which is preferablyiin-r the form of anarcofa' oircle,-,or

adapted to fitzbenea'th the shoulder of the I f wearenwhich is lined or covered with-yield 111g matemaLa, suchas rubber, orflapneu-j niatic pad, 0rthe l1ke.f This crotch 1s provided with ardownwardlyiprojecting arm ate'rminating in the balla which 'fitslin '7 i the socketb provided atthe upper end of the metal strip B;.which is-adjustably con nected as by means ,of the iclamps G} and clamp screws 0 to the meta'l strip D towhich formvof a metalstripsecuredtothe strip vHinged to thestrip D,i'a sjb l -n eagns of the the belt Eris secured. This beltzis prefers V ably formed partly of metal and partly of r leather, or webbing, or otherisuitableflexie ble material;= the rear portion echoing in the -D, and the'front portionc being. preferably 4:} J in the form of leather, or webbingiand-ad- I justably connected to the body of the wearer. .bvmeans of the buckle e 7 V boltf is .the'upper thigh ipiece F,-whichnor- 65 and looking in z-the mally projects downwards, and is secured to the lower thigh piece F by means of the clamps G and clamp screws g. The upper thigh piece F carries a band H, preferably made partly of metal, such as h and partly of leather, webbing, or other flexible material, such as h, which band is adjustably secured to the wearer as indicated in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2. This stump is preferably encased in a suitable sack I open at both ends, and adjustably secured to the stump by means of the straps and buckles i) see Figure 1.' This sack is preferably made of flexible material, such as knit webbing, or the like. and the upper end of the sack is suspended from the belt E by means of suitable adjustable straps J, with buckles j.

The lower thigh piece F is adjustably connected to the upper thigh piece F as already described, and is pivoted near its lower end, as at K, to the upper member M of the leg piece, the lower member M of which is adjustably connected to the upper member by means of the clamps N and screws n. The lower member M ofthe lower leg piece is pivoted as at p to the foot socket piece P, which carries the leaf spring Q, said socket piece and leaf spring being preferably encased in felt, rubber, or other suitable matferial R, which forms the outline for the oot.

The foot socket'piece P is shown in detail in Figures 12- to 14:, and is provided with two side walls p, flanged laterally at the bottom as at p to receive the leaf spring Q, which is held in place by the set screws 9; and at its upper end it is provided with ends 29 flanged inwardly as shown in Figures 13 and 14 to provide stops for the member M, already referred to. The foot socket piece-P is connected to the member M and to similar strip M which is also pivoted on the bolt p near its opposite end, and passes up on the opposite side of the leg, being adjustably secured to an upper member M by means of the clamps N and setscrews 12-.

Connecting the members M and M is a band S, and connecting the members M and M is the band S, and connecting these bands S and S, and shaped conformably to the sound leg of the wearer, are the front and rear adjustable strips M and M see Figures 1 and 2. There is thus formed a skeleton legand foot for thewearer over which the stocking and other garments may beworn. I 'lnorder to complete the socket for the stump; of the wearer, I provide on the inner side of the leg strips F and F corresponding to the strips F, and the strips F and F are connected together by a band T, and the strips F and F are connectedtogether by the belt H already referred to. The strips F and F are also connected together. by one or more bolts f, and thus a, frame-work is provided to receive the stump of the wearer, I

but it is not intended to take up any of the substantial weight of the wearer except on the continuous crutch arrangement formed at the side of the apparatus.

In Figures 1 and 21 have shown the right leg of the wearer removed by an operation above the knee, and the stump is indicated in dotted lines, but the parts of the apparatus adjacent to the stump would b constructed and arranged so as to fit any stump according to any of the ordinary above the knee amputations, whether high or low.

The operation of swinging the stump forward would ordinarily flex the knee joint of the artificial leg, and when the step forward is completed the parts are restored to the original or straight position shown in Figure 2, by means of a suitable compression spring arrangement shown in Figures 2, 3, 3 5; and 7 in which. S is a cross piece on the band S provided with a socket 5 adapted to receive the tapered end a of the casing U, in which the spring U is held under compression, as

by means of the piston U held beneath the cap 24. This piston carries a rod if having the yoke u engaging the pin 29 which spans the two arms T projecting downwardly from the band T, see Figures 3, 3 and 5. Flexing the knee oint will cause the spring U to be still further compressed, and this spring will tend normally to straighten the leg when the step is completed.

' There is limited play at the knee joint beremain seated without having the artificial leg projecting'forwa'rd in a more or less straight and stiff vcondition, I provide the releasing attachment which will now be described.

W represents a loop of cord, or chain, or other flexible material, which passes around the shoulder of the wearer and is normally held in place by an outer garment, such as a shirt, coat or the like, and this loop is provided with a downwardly extending line This line terminates in a spring plunger V, carried by the guides V, see- Figures 3, 3 'and 4, and thisiplunger has a rounded head '0' which engages in the notch a; in the bearing plate X in whichthe knee pivot K is mounted. At each end of this notch stops as and x will limit the swinging movement of the are provided which strip M and the parts carried'thereby to a predetermined angle, and thus the'knee joint cannot ordinarily be flexed beyond said angle.

Now in sitting down it is desired to still further flex the knee joint, and this may be accomplished by lifting or shrugging the shoulder carrying the loop W. This shrugging of the shoulder will lift the head a from engagement with the notch 00, and while the lower leg may not be flexedforward more than through a small angle, it may be flexed backwards as desired.

In order to prevent the premature lifting of the plunger V, from any cause, the line W is led through suitable guide or fair leaders Y in the harness.

When the parts are assembled and mounted on the wearer, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, the mere throwing forward of the stump will flex the knee joint as in the non mal operation of walking, and the knee joint will be straightened out again by means off the compression spring U, and practically all of the weight of the wearer will be trans mitted from the crotch under the arm pit down to the foot support, and thus there will be practically no weight at all thrown on the sensitive stump of the wearer.

Men the wearer desires'to sit down, after seating himself by simply shrugging or lifting on the shoulder supporting the loop, the knee joint may be broken so as .to permit the artificial leg to be swung backward to the position taken when the wearer is seated.

Thus it will be seen that I provide a lower leg which is in the form of a light metal skeleton with the resilient foot joint, and with flexible knee and hip joints, and the arrangement is such that when the weight of the wearer is thrown upon the artificial leg it is supported from the shoulder of the wearer and not from the stump as hereto fore. By the hereindescribed arrangement the use of the ordinary crutch is entirely unnecessary for a one-legged man, and he may walk with freedom either with or without a cane.

It will be noted that the-various parts of the device are adjustable so that the artificial leg and harness therefor may be satisfactorilyadjusted to fit the individual wearer, and a few standard sizes only will be needed in order to fit wearers of ordinary height or;

configuration.

It will be obvious that the herein described apparatus is suitable for use either on men or women, and may be readily'fitted to a wearer of either sex.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the hereindescribed apparatus, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of myinvention, and I do not mean to limit the invention-to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims. Y

'Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 1

1. Apparatus of the character described, comprising ajframe provided with a series of adjustable metal supporting strips hinged together to form a flexible crutch extending ground, the said frame comprising a vertical body member with means for attaching same to the body of the wearer, a thigh member hinged to said body member, a-lower leg frame hinged to said thigh member, a spring normally. tending to throw said leg frame in alignment with said thigh member, and a foot piece carried by said leg frame.

3. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a frame provided with a series of metal supporting strips hinged together 9 to form a flexible crutch extending substantially from the arm pit of the wearer to the ground, a crotch piece in the form of a padded yoke adapted to engage under the arm pit of the wearer, a ball and socket joint connecting said crotch piece to the head of the upper strip,'and a transversely disposed foot piece hinged to the lower end of the lower strip, with means for connecting said frame to the body of the wearer. 4. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a frame provided with a series of adjustable metal supporting strips hinged together to. form a flexible crutch extending substantially from the arm pit of the wearer to the ground, with a crotch piece in the form of a padded yoke. connected to the head of the upper strip by a universal joint, and adapted to engage under the arm pit of the wearer, and a transversely disposed resilient foot piece pivoted to the lower end of the lower strip, with means for Ind hinged to said body member, a lower leg frame hinged to said thigh member, a spring thereof.

6. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a frame provided with a series of adjustable metal supporting strips hinged :ogether to form a flexible crutch extending substantially from beneath the shoulder of the wearer to the ground, the said frame comprising a vertical body member with means for attachingsame to the body of the wearer, an adjustable thigh member hinged to said body member, a lower leg frame hinged to said thigh member, a spring plunger located entirely in the space between the thigh member and the lower leg frame and normally'tending to throw said leg frame in alignment with said thigh member, and a transversely disposed resilient foot piece carried by said leg frame,with a crotch piece adapted to engage in the arm pit of the wearer and connected to the upper end of said frame by a universal joint.

7. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a vertical body member with means for attaching same to the body of the wearer, a thigh member hinged to said body member, a lower leg frame hinged to said thigh member, means for limiting the angular movement of said lower leg frame relative to said thigh member, and means operable by the shoulder of the wearer for re leasing said limiting means when desired, and a spring plunger located entirely in the space betweenthe thigh member and the lower leg frame and normally tending to throw said leg frame in alignment with said thigh member, and a foot piece pivoted to said leg frame. v v

8. Apparatus of the character described,

comprising a vertical body member with to said thigh member, and a loop mounted over the shoulder of the wearer with a cord connecting said loop and said plunger for disengaging said plunger from said notched plate when desired.

9. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a 'vertical body member with means for attaching same to the body of the wearer, a thigh member hinged to said body thigh member, a notched platecarried by said legmember, and a spring plungercarried by said thigh member and normally engaging said plate for limiting the angular movement of said .lower leg frame relative to said thigh member, and aloop'mounted over the shoulder of the wearer with a cord connecting said loop and "said 'plunger for disengaging said plunger from said notched plate when desired, means normally tending to throw saidleg frame in alignment with I foot'piece hinged said thigh member, and a to said leg frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

RICHARD n. HARRIS.

member, a lower leg frame hinged to said 

